Role of the ESC

The Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West has served as a leader in helping local school districts develop strategies to prepare, prevent, respond, and recover from school emergencies.

On October 1, 2005, the ESC was awarded $498,125.00 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools to develop a program of Emergency Response and Crisis Management for area school districts. This grant enabled the Educational Service Center to work with area school districts to develop regional proactive emergency preparedness programs and crisis response plans.

The ESC has continued this work by offering various trainings on the new Ohio requirments for school safety plans.

Ohio Resources

Safer Schools Ohio: The Center for P-20 Safety and Security was formed as a collaborative effort between the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Department of Education to create safe and supportive learning environments and respond to violence and its causes in educational settings throughout Ohio. Center personnel focus on school climate, safety, security and emergency management concerns in the K-12 and higher education environments. Available at https://saferschools.ohio.gov/

School Safety Terms:

Lockdown - A lockdown takes place if an internal or external threat is identified at the school. All school doors are locked and students are confined to classrooms. No entry into or exit from the school will be allowed until an “all-clear” announcement is made.

Shelter in Place - Students take refuge in designated areas to protect from hazardous materials or severe weather. No entry into or exit from the school will be allowed until an “all-clear” announcement is made.

Evacuation - In the event of certain building emergencies, students will be relocated to an evacuation assembly area. Students will be released ONLY to parents/guardians with permission from a district official. This is necessary to account for the whereabouts of all students.

Reverse Evacuation - Students are evacuated from the outside of building to the interior in the event of an outside threat. No entry to or exit from the school will be allowed until an all-clear announcement is made.

Reunification - Parents/guardians will be directed by school or public safety officials via TV/radio to their child’s specific location. Students will be released ONLY to parents/guardians who are documented as emergency contacts and who present a picture ID such as a driver’s license, military ID or passport. The reunification process can be time consuming, so parents are urged to be patient.